Mr Singh is credited with being the only executioner in the world to single-handedly hang 18 men in one day -- three at a time.

He also hanged seven condemned men within 90 minutes a few years later. They had been convicted in what became known as the "gold bars murders", in which a merchant and two employees were killed during a robbery.

He carries out the executions wearing simple casual clothes, often just a T-shirt, shorts, sports shoes and knee-length socks.

To mark his 500th hanging four years ago, four of his former colleagues turned up at his home to celebrate the event with a couple of bottles of Chivas Regal.

"He is a keen soccer fan," his colleague said. "His favourite team is Manchester United. He watches all the English Premier League matches he can."

"He tried to train two would-be hangmen to replace him, a Malaysian and a Chinese, both in the prison service," the colleague said.
"But when it came to pulling the lever for the real thing, they both froze and could not do it. "The Chinese guy, a prison officer, became so distraught he walked out immediately and resigned from the prison service altogether."

I'm from the Red half of Manchester and this thread cracked me up - the jibe thrown at United fans by bitter bluenoses is that United fans aren't from Manchester (news to me and pretty much everyone I ever went to a game with).

Ironic that such ABUism is alive and kicking in Minnesota... you know, that well known suburb of Manchester.

In the spirit of that well worn Stretford End tradition...

Blue Moon
You started singing again
You say the Reds are from Slough
When you all live in MN

Well, LIVE in MN was the point... but - who's from Manchester here - anyone? Would be nice to chat with some compatriots, red or blue.

Not wishing to have anything turn into a footy-related slanging match, as over 30 years of it leaves me very bored of it. I have no pointless footyfan prejudice, the days of filling Liverpool fans' pencil cases at school with mud is long over - I just enjoy my footy and support United. In fact, my best man at my wedding is a bitter, really knows his footy though so the banter is always good, and that's the point for me.

No, native English :) Just footy 'in-the-know' type banter. And you just kind of confirmed my point, Kenny........

Ya see, I was just wondering what a Manchester scooter club form would make of members talking about the NFL, referring to cheeseheads vs mud ducks 'bastards'. I think it's safe to say they would be baffled. And that's why I'm baffled why someone on a Minnesotan scooter club forum started an ABU thread calling Man Utd fans bastards...

Not offended, don't give a monkeys, just weird. And I thought I'd give my tuppeneth.

It's kinda an inside joke with some of us. Really not an intense dislike or hatred (well maybe Ritchie has some but he's intitled as he is from U.K).
There is always some team that has the most money, franchise players or biggest fan base, that causes people to pick at them (Yankees BaseBall, Lakers Basktball). And hey atleast we're talking about Soccer(football).

Having spent time in University in the Kensington-Chelsea area, I support CFC. But it's not like I *really* give a toss when push comes to shove. It's just kind of fun... And Egan's right, at least we're watching and interested in *real* footballl, and not just the kind where people in armor slam into each other...